


Geostigma

by chocobobutt



Category: Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 04:46:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5525873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chocobobutt/pseuds/chocobobutt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Secret Santa gift for a tumblr friend known as flammefatale. They like Reno and Rufus so here is what I came up with!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Geostigma

0008-Summer

"I see...yes I'll be right there Mr. President" The cool slightly accented tone of the ex Wutain Turk ended the call and turned to his subordinates. They had successfully kept the President out of harm from Metoer but had a much bigger threat now. Something no one really understood just yet. Something was so very wrong with the president. At first the doctors had thought it a little more then a rash brought on by something in the air after the crash. They weren't too far off. It was something much worse then a rash.

Geostigma. 

It was a very early case, do early it didn't even seem like he had it. There were days it was more like a cold or just a cough. Reports on the news for the next few months following meteor showed the epidemic. It seemed some got it worse then others. Some died within a few days, others weeks and some seemed to be fighting an immunity to it. No one thought the president would get infected. They all just assumed he was working himself ragged trying to change the image of the company, trying to wrong his and his father’s mistakes.

Tseng didn't stay around the president as often anymore. He was busy doing the President’s bidding. Now someone else was his personal guard, someone a little reluctant to the task. A certain Reno Sinclair. Reno was a loyal Turk even if he goofed off sometimes. He, like the others would take a bullet for their President if they had to, especially now. The Turks were smaller and smaller a force every day. They were a tight family now and no one was being careless anymore. Even though Reno at first wanted to refuse being Rufus' personal guard he eventually took it. The initial hesitation was for his partner Rude. He didn't want to leave him alone but once Tseng had told him he'd be with him he accepted. Honestly he still felt that the President needed two guards. The president had more then shown he was capable of protecting himself and Reno respected that. 

0008-Fall

The longer Reno spent time with The president the more he realized how lonely he seemed to be. All The President had was guards and employees. No one was his friend, no one spoke to him more then needed. It was rather sad and he could see the look on the blonde's face when the room became quiet. He looked like he wanted someone, anyone to talk to him. In the past months, Reno had learned to read The President's silent little gestures and expressions very well. He had always been pretty good at picking up that kind of stuff anyway. He was also a very talkative man himself and one day he just couldn't take it anymore. 

0008- First day of winter. 

"It's very cold out today, Mr. President. I think you should stay inside today. Your cough is getting a little worse, the cold might not be good for you." Reno's face was impassive as he spoke, keeping a professional aura around him even though he rather be smiling. It was such a better thing to wake up to a smile. The president stretched a bit in his bed and before he could say anything, said cough started in full force. Reno hesitated a moment close to him, he wanted to rub his back, give him some sense of comfort, so he finally did. It caught The President off guard a bit and when the coughing stopped he straightened up but didn't mention anything of the hand on his back.

"Thank you, Sinclair. I might take your advice if I can. Has Tseng called in yet?" The president's voice was harsh, scratchy, not healthy. Everytime he spoke it broke reno's heart a little more each day. He knew it must just be a cold but he didn't like to see The President so weak. He didn't move away from him yet. 

"Not yet. Hey, can I make you something special for breakfast. I know it's not my place to but...I think you might really like it" A little of Reno's personality shone bright, that nice smile of his. To his surprise the President agreed and Reno went to make him a special tea. It had lots of honey in it, almost enough that would make your teeth hurt but the bitterness of the tea calmed it down. The honey would be able to help give a nice coat on the President's throat, maybe help with the sore throat and the coughing. Honey really was a sweet nectar of Gaia. 

The President's voice and throat did feel a little better after that. The sugar intake from the honey gave him a little extra energy too. 

0008- December 31st

Tseng was angry with him, so very angry. The President was getting worse with his cold and Tseng was blaming it on Reno. The typical things were said of course, how careless he was, why he hadn't taken him to a doctor yet, why had he waited so long to inform him. There were bags under the usually collected Wutain man's eyes. Reno wasn't sure if it was from the lack of sleep the man was definitely getting or from stress from his job or just from worrying about the President. Either way it was too late when Tseng had arrived to get a doctor. Way too late. 

The President rang in the new year sick.

Reno was always a little bit superstitious of a person and he didn't like that. He believed how you welcomed the new year would be how you left it. With the President being sick he feared it was a premonition of things to come. He didn't know how right he was. 

0009 - March

Geostigma.

It wasn't a cold that the President had. Tiny spots that almost looked like freckles had appeared on The President's legs. For the first few days after getting the call from the Doctor, the president had hauled himself into his room. He didn't allow anyone to enter. They all feared he would lose hope, that he would just confide in himself and wait to die, for the geostigma to take him over. 

After 4 days Reno had enough of it. He couldn't take it anymore. The door had been locked but he broke it down anyway {with some man power from Rude}. He found the President in his bed, laying there. Or rather he probably was laying there until the door had been broken. Now he was sitting up in his bed with a very angry look on his face, his eyes were red and had dark bags under them. It was obvious the man had been locked in his room upset and crying for days. Reno wouldn't comment on the tears though, he didn't get a chance to before the President yelled at him. "Sinclair! What in Shiva's name are you doing!? You broke that door! Do you know how much that cost!? It's coming out of your paycheck! Did I tell you to come in here?!" Sure it wasn't a scream like Reno had once heard from the President, this was weak and not as commanding as he used to be but it still brought a smile to his face. 

"Well lookie here. I thought you were upset but I see this hasn't changed your personality. You're still a little brat aren't you?" Reno grinned as a hand was on his own hip, standing in the doorway. He had just called the President a brat and didn't care. He /wanted/ him to get mad at him. He wanted him to yell. He wanted the President to be himself. 

Of course The President was a bit stunned for a few moments, having been shocked at what Reno said but he quickly recovered and even moved to get out of the bed a bit. "How dare you! I'll have Tseng fire you!" He got up quickly and almost fell out of bed but Reno was there, his arms around him and helping him stand. "What are you doing?! Let go of me! Don't touch me! I'll curse you too...I'll...aren't you afraid to touch me?"

What started as an angry rant was turning into something much worse. The president was showing his weakness, he was showing his concern for them all. Reno knew it, he knew that the angry words weren't true. He also knew he didn't care if he got the Geostigma too or if touching someone with it would pass it along. It didn't make sense to him but he stayed with him and held his President all the more tighter.

The President couldn't take it. Reno was holding him, he didn't care about what he had. He was trying to make him feel better. That hand on his back was the same as last time but it felt all the more warm now. It was rubbing his back and he couldn't take it. He didn't know if he would die in the next minute or months from now from this but Reno still cared. He knew it was out of duty but he still cared. The President broke down and hide his face against Reno's shoulder and cried for what seemed like the upteenth time that week. No tears were shed, he had no more to give for himself, only broken sobs and scratchy intakes of breath and shutters were had instead. 

"I won't leave your side. Even if the stigma takes your whole body, I'll never leave your side."

0009- April

After that week of seclusion and Reno's help, the President was better, well better in his outlook. He was still sick but he got back to work. He was determined to do something, anything to right his wrongs, to fix the planet, to help the people. 

Each day Reno would help him up and stay by his side like he promised. Each day he got closer to the President. There were some days he was sick, too much coughing to leave the bed. Those days Reno would bring him games to play, movies to watch and snacks. Today was one of these such days. The president was coughing a bit and leaned back in his bed, there was a side glance at Reno and a slight frown to his face. Reno took a handful of spiced popcorn and shoved it in his mouth, some missing and falling onto the bed that he was also sitting on. The president scoffed and rolled his eyes at the display. 

"You pig" 

Reno turned and looked at The president with confusion on his face. He looked down and noticed the fallen snacks and quickly picked them up and ate them. "Sorry. I grabbed to much. I love these though, they are my favorite it."

The president just sighed a bit and ran a hand over his head, letting it swoop his bangs out of the way and cool him down a bit. "Reno, why are you here? Why haven't you left like some of the others? Is this just a job to you?" It was something that had been plaguing the President's mind. The longer he spent with Reno the more comfortable he had become with him, so much that he started to call him by his first name now. Still, he wondered what this was between them. Was Reno still just his worker or was he a friend, his first friend?

"Eh, well I mean yeah this is my job to protect you but...you're family sir. I grew up a street rat and Tseng took me in. He is like a dad to me and you...I guess you're like...maybe a brother but...I don't know. Anyway why are you asking this? You feeling okay? I promised I wouldn't leave you remember? You're family, Mr. President. You don't desert your family, especially in their time of need."

That answer had made him happy even if he tried to show it. Damn that redhead. Was he trying to break down the walls he had built up around him?

"Reno..."

There was a bit of silence as he turned on his side to hide his face from Reno's view. "Reno, stop calling me Mr. President. I'm a president of nothing now. Just...call me Rufus."

Reno smiled a bit and nodded, even though Rufus wouldn't be able to see it. "Sure thing, Rufus. I'll leave you to your afternoon nap then. I'll be outside if you need me" 

There was a creak of the bed as Reno got off and went to the balcony of the room, doors slightly parted as he took out a box and a cigarette out of one. 

"You're going to die before me if you keep smoking those" Came Rufus from his bed, one eye open as he looked outside. 

Reno just shrugged at him and smiled, lighting the cigarette with a small fira materia. The show off he was. "Hey, if I smoke enough we can go together then." 

0009 - August

Rufus's geostigma was different each day. Some days were worse than the others. Today was a bad day. Rufus woke up with the usual symptoms but something was different, very different. When he opened his eyes he couldn’t see. At least he swore his eyes were open. He was in such darkness that he couldn’t tell if he had or not. He was panicking and was second guessing if he was even awake now. He didn’t know. He felt the soft bedding, either he was awake or this was a vivid dream. “Reno….Reno!”

The red head was already in the room when his name was shouted and he turned to look at the bed. Rufus was laying in the bed with his eyes open and just staring at the ceiling. He thought it was weird and came over to him. Rufus kept calling his name but wouldn’t look at him. “Rufus? Rufus I’m right here...why won’t you look at me?”

“I can’t….Reno I think I’m blind”

Reno’s breath caught in his throat. No, this couldn't be. It shouldn’t be. It wasn’t fair, not at all. Rufus was making a difference, he had changed. Why did he have to suffer now for his father’s wrong-doings? Why him? Reno pulled the blonde to his chest and held him tight, rubbing his back. He called for Rude to let Tseng know what was going on and then they were alone again, Rufus freaking out at his sudden loss of sight and Reno trying to comfort him.

The blindness went on for a few days and Reno tried to walk rufus around the room, get him used to the surroundings. He kept touching him to and letting Rufus touch him constantly. It was so Rufus knew he wasn’t alone, that he was awake.

“Hey Rufus are you tired? Want to take a rest?”

“Yes...thank you Reno.” Rufus nodded and was led to his chair. Reno stayed beside him, his hand over Rufus’. “You know Reno, I miss your hair. It was always the most colorful thing in my room...I miss the redness of it.” 

That was able to get a very surprised look from him, for a second happy that Rufus couldn’t see him. “Is that so…” He didn’t know what to say for a moment to that until he sat down besides Rufus and guided his hand to his choppy hair on top. “You want to...play with my hair?”

Rufus was silent for a moment, not moving his hand. After a few minutes he moved his hand lower. Reno had soft hair, very soft hair. He felt the short choppy mess turn into silky straight hair pulled into a ponytail. He could picture it perfectly in his head. “Reno…” He spoke softly but didn’t say much after that, finding it rather soothing to play with his hair. “I’m scared Reno...I must be close to dying...I’m not ready to go yet..I’m not…” His voice was sad, sadder than he’d ever been in his life, well, then he’d let anyone ever hear him. 

“I won’t let you die. You said it yourself, I’m going to go before you right? So you aren’t allowed to go before me. I won’t let you boss” Reno smiled and laughed, so Rufus would be able to feel the optimism coming from him. “I love you boss, I won’t let you get hurt.”

“I...Thank you Reno”

0009 - November

Rufus got his eyes sight back in one of his eyes. His body was fighting against the geostigma even if it had spread much over his body. The first person he had looked upon was Reno when his vision returned. He hadn’t let go of him that whole day after. He had forced the red head to stay in bed with him and he had. 

As the months past, Rufus felt a change in him. He knew it was due to all the contact but he found himself looking at Reno longer each time, holding his hand more, speaking to him more. He’d heard of this feeling and tried to ignore it. It would be too cruel to Reno to fall for him only to die. He’d never forgive himself if he did that. He couldn’t hurt Reno ever, he knew he had fallen to deep already for that. Besides, with his stigma it wasn’t like he could ever even kiss Reno. If he kissed him he could possibly give him the stigma too. Rufus was content to just be near him. 

0010 -Spring

Too much was happening. Tseng and Elena went missing, Rufus had to be moved to a safe house and now couldn’t even move most of the time. The geostigma was on almost all of Rufus’ body. He wasn’t even touching Reno as much as he used to and it frustrated the red head to immeasurable levels. He loved Rufus, he always had but not like he did now. He loved him as family, but a bigger part, a special part, the most out of anyone else. There had been so many times when he could have kissed him but Rufus never took that last leap to his lips. Now on top of it all Tseng who he saw as a father was missing while some crazy brothers ran around hurting people. At least Cloud would be coming soon, hopefully they could convince him to help find a cure or at least find Tseng. 

0010 - Summer

He was okay. He was saved, they were all saved, all okay thanks to ‘her’. Rufus still didn’t know how Cloud did it but he did. Somehow he had found a cure to the stigma. Tseng and Elena were fine too, a little bruised but living. Everything was seeming to work out well but there was still so much to be done. He considered himself a savior now of the Planet. He had to do good, he was given this second chance to do good. A look was given to Tseng who started the orders to get everyone ready. All of them going off on their own and leaving Rufus alone with Tseng. 

0010 - Fall

It felt like months since they were alone like this again. Everyone was busy, Rufus in particularly was busy but now he was alone again with Reno. It was a strange series of events that lead to this but here they were together again. “Reno…” Rufus was the first to talk. He leaned back in his chair and looked Reno over, a smirk on his face. “Reno, I never got to try something with you. Come over here” Reno of course listened and walked over to the desk, sitting on the edge of it. 

“Oh? What’s that, Ruf?” Reno knew he hated that nickname and that fact just made him want to say it more. Of course he wouldn’t be to say much more of anything soon. Rufus had grabbed his tie and pulled him close. Reno was about 99 percent sure he knew what was next. 

“You still promise to never leave my side, correct?” Rufus asked. His own blue eyes were looking into Reno’s. It was a stern look, one that meant he was serious right now. All Reno could do was nod and smile, that smile that Rufus liked so much. “Good. It’s a contract then. Now to seal it” And with that Rufus finally closed the gap between them and kissed Reno, his Reno.


End file.
